1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the large scale use of composing fields for the accelerated decomposition of waste material. Composting is a bacterial reaction that breaks down materials to reduce the volume and create a material that is then used for fertilizing soil. Many governments across the country now have mandatory recycling programs in place. These programs require the reduction of the volume of waste placed in landfills. Significant reductions in the volume of waste, that is normally deposited in landfills, is obtainable by composting yard waste and other biodegradable such as municipal solid waste containing paper and other degradable materials. Two major problems facing the managers of composting programs are the physical area required for the composting operations and the time required for the composting process to occur.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
In the art we find several attempts to satisfy the requirement of accelerated composting of waste material. The most commonly used method is to use tubes of approximately six inches in diameter with numerous holes throughout their length. These tubes are placed in beds which are usually approximately eight feet wide and fifty to a hundred feet or more long. Yard waste or municipal sludge is then spread over the field to cover and bury the pipe and create a composting pile. Air is injected through the piping to filter up through the composting pile or negative air pressure is applied to the piping to draw air down through the composting pile. Municipal sludge is mixed with a bulking agent such as wood chips. Prior application of a base of wood chips, with a depth of approximately 18 inches and having the purpose of diffusing the air, is required before the introduction of the sludge to the field. Municipal sludge requires approximately 21 days for composting. With yard waste or municipal solid waste requiring between 30 and 120 days depending upon composition of the material and prevailing weather conditions. This method is not as efficient as desired for two primary reasons. For one the air is introduced along the base at the center of the field. As the introduced air has a tendency to filter vertically rather than laterally, the base of the heap along both sides fails to receive adequate treatment. Therefore, the uniformity of the composting of the heap is less than desired. Secondly when the composting material is removed, the pipes are often crushed by the heavy equipment used during the removal. Replacement is then necessary for the next cycle of the field. This requirement significantly increases the operating expense of the composting field.
The most notable Patent is U.S. Pat. No. 5,053,124 issued Oct. 1, 1991 to Schumacher Liane of Germany based on an original filing date of Apr. 8, 1987 in the Federal Republic of Germany. This patent teaches the use of a plurality of opposing sets of four-sided plates that rest one on the other. These plates have perpendicularly intersecting passages between the upper set of plates and the lower set of plates. There is a method to lock the upper plates relative to the lower plates. This patent also teaches the use of seals between the individual plates.
Your applicant is unaware of any use of a single layer of plates to form an array field for the accelerated composting of material.